Buckle support assemblies anchor the buckle adjacent a vehicle seat for being supported in an elevated position at the side of the seat. Support assemblies can also extend between the backrest and cushion to support the buckle above the cushion. These buckle support assemblies can utilize a support member of a metallic material such as a steel strap or the like so that the buckle is rigidly held in place. However, it has been observed that such a steel support member can make the buckle an undesirable rigid obstacle to comfortable seating on the vehicle seat if a passenger comes into contact therewith. Accordingly, it has been proposed to use seat belt webbing material for the support member instead of steel material. In either case, at times it has been found that it is desirable to have a cover or sleeve member that conceals the support member. The sleeve member extends from the lower anchor member secured to the vehicle body up toward the buckle at its elevated position.
Typically, in these buckle support assemblies using webbing material support members, there is a lower extension portion on the sleeve that is fastened to the webbing material to keep the sleeve in position about the support member. The extension portion can be of thin plastic material so that a fastener member such as a staple or plastic push pin can be driven through the extension and the belt webbing material for fixing the support member thereto. Alternatively, the lower anchor plate has a anchor bolt opening, and the extension can project into the area adjacent to the opening so that the head of the anchor bolt clamps the extension to the anchor plate when the anchor plate is bolted to the vehicle body.
Both the use of distinct fasteners and the clamping or trapping of the plastic material of the sleeve described above are undesirable. Mechanical fasteners such as staples and pins can become dislodged during use. Further, the use of mechanical fasteners also adds cost and time to the assembly process. Trapping the plastic material of the sleeve between the bolt and anchorage of the anchor plate can reduce the strength of the anchorage of the anchor plate to the vehicle body. An installer may not be able to tighten the bolt sufficiently or, if using a torque wrench, may read an artificially high level of torque as they are fastening the bolt to the vehicle body due to the trapped plastic material.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved buckle support assembly in terms of how the sleeve member is retained in proper position relative to the support member. More particularly, a buckle support assembly is desirable that mounts the sleeve member without the need for fastening or clamping of the sleeve member.